Fall 2022: This Moment Matters: Chair Yoga
Welcome back to This Moment Matters, a feature of every newsletter where we offer you an in-the-moment tool you can use to increase well-being, now. In this season of change, we’re thinking a lot about movement…and stagnation. Summer is a time when we are drawn more to movement: the pools and ponds are open and enticing, the trails and fields are verdant and inviting, and the days are long. We likely have more time and spaciousness to prioritize movement, particularly in the outdoors. Back-to-school, and/or back-to-work, can mean a lot more time in seats, at desks…and we know that prolonged sitting and inactivity have manifold negative effects on our bodies and wellness.
Lately we’ve been asked a lot about “chair yoga,” and we wanted to take this moment to share about it. Chairs are often incorporated as props in some yoga teachings (such as Iyengar); but “Chair Yoga” specifically is intended to make the benefits of the asanas (postures) of the physical limb of yoga more accessible for the elderly and those with mobility differences. Chair Yoga, a synthesis of the collected disciplines of ancient and modern yoga, can also be very intuitive and supportive for kids at school, or indeed anyone who finds themselves sitting a lot of the time. We love the visuals created by Kids Yoga Stories, and wanted to feature them as a tool for back-to-school students. You can print and post these in a kid’s bedroom, near where they do homework– or send them to your child’s teacher or school counselor, and suggest a classroom display.
But to start, just get playful together, maybe around the table at mealtime. Kids Yoga Stories features 40 poses to choose from; start with just a couple! Teach children: while a strong foundation of routine is deeply beneficial, not every practice has to be prolonged. Part of effective routine building of any kind includes knowing how and when to make the most out of limitations. Employing these simple, intentional postures when you’re feeling stuck, fatigued, or restless can change the course of your day. Because this moment matters.